A late winner from 37-year-old Robert Lewandowski has tightened Barcelona’s grip on the Spanish title, following a chaotic and ill-tempered victory over 10-man Atletico Madrid.

The Polish striker’s 87th-minute strike secured a vital 2-1 win at the Metropolitano, moving Xavi’s side seven points clear of arch-rivals Real Madrid with just eight games remaining in the campaign.

In an encounter defined by red-card drama and VAR controversy, Atletico played the entire second half with 10 men after Nico Gonzalez was sent off just before the break. Despite the numerical advantage, Barcelona laboured until the final minutes to break down a resilient home defence.

A family affair and a quick response

The match, the fourth meeting between these two rivals this season, burst into life in the 39th minute when Giuliano Simeone—son of Atletico manager Diego Simeone—swept home a well-placed finish to give the hosts the lead.

However, the celebrations were short-lived. Just three minutes later, England forward Marcus Rashford restored parity, firing a clinical effort through the legs of goalkeeper Juan Musso.

The momentum swung further in Barcelona’s favour in first-half stoppage time when Gonzalez saw red for denying Lamine Yamal a clear goalscoring opportunity.

VAR drama and the Lewandowski clincher

The second half was dominated by a controversial decision involving Barcelona’s Gerard Martin. Initially shown a red card for a heavy challenge on Thiago Almada, the defender was allowed to stay on the pitch after the referee was advised to review the incident on the pitchside monitor, eventually downgrading the sanction to a yellow card.

Atletico’s fury was compounded in the closing stages. After Musso had produced a string of fine saves to deny Ferran Torres, he was finally beaten by Lewandowski’s predatory finish three minutes from time.

Analysis: The ‘Triple Header’ begins

This victory provides Barcelona with a massive psychological boost ahead of a Gruelling schedule. The two sides are set to meet twice more in the next fortnight for their Champions League quarter-final tie, with the first leg taking place this Wednesday.

For Atletico, the defeat leaves them in fourth place on 57 points, still battling to secure a top-four finish. For Barcelona, the focus shifts to 10 May, when they host Real Madrid in a match that could mathematically seal the title.